Fruit-picker&#39;s receptacle.



l FFTCE.

JOHN S. BARNETT, OF CENTRAL POINT, OREGON.

FRUIT-PICKERS RECEPTACLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 191.0.

Application filed February 16, 1910. Serial No. 544,219.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jonn t5. BARNE'IYT, a citizen of the United States, residing at (lentral Point, in the county of Jackson, State of Oregon, have invented certain new aml useful Improvements in Fruit-lickers Illeceptacles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention. such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to devices 'for receiving fruit while being picked, and has for one of its objects to simplify and improve the construction and increase the elliciency and utility of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character possessing all of the advantages of a receiving bucket or vessel and a combined flexible guide tube and receiver, whereby the fruit is discharged into the final receptacle without injury.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims; and, in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved device viewed from one side, partly in section, and showing the fruit receiving portion in closed position, Fig. 2 is an elevation viewed from another side with the fruit receiving portion in open position,

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the fabric portion of the improved device, illustrating the construction and manner of closing the same.

The improved device comprises a tubular member 10 preferably of sheet metal, and open at the ends and provided with ears 1112 to receive a supporting bail 13, the latter preferably provided with a hook 22 whereby the member 10 may be suspended from a ladder, a limb of a tree, or other like support convenient to the hand of the person picking the fruit.

Located within the member 10 is a tubular member 14: of suitable fabric and of greater length than the member 10. The fabric member is connected to the upper edge of the member 10 by rolling the fabric material over the upper edge of the member 10, as represented at 15, so that the fruit is pro tected from contact with the metal member 10.

l i l l At its lower end the member 14 is provided with a plurality of rings or eyelets 1(5, spaced apart at uniform distanccsand likewise spaced above the lower end of the fabric member. An even number of the rings 16 are employed, so that they may be divided into two divisions each containing an equal number of the rings. A cord 17 is woven through one set of rings at one side of the fabric member, while a similar cord 18 is woven through the other set of the rings as shown. The cords are connected at one end to a larger ring 19, and connected at their other ends to a corresponding larger ring 20. By this means if either one of the rings 19 or 20 ,be drawn away from the member 14 and the latter held from movement, the material of the member 14 will be drawn together to close its lower end as shown in Fig. 1. F astened to the member 10 near the upper side is a catch or hook 21 over which both of the rings 19-20 are supported as shown in Fig. 1 to hold the closed end of the member 1 1 in elevated position and in condition to receive the fruit. By this arrangement of the parts the lower portion of the member 14: is held away from the sides of the member 10 during the time that the fruit is being deposited, so that the latter is not bruised or injured when dropped into the receptacle. Thus the fruitnever comes in contact with any of the metal portions of the device and delicate and fragile fruit is thus protected from injury during the picking operation.

When a sufl icient quantity of fruit has bcendeposited in the device it is lowered into the final. receptacle with the closed end of the member 14L bearing upon the bottom of the receptacle. The rings 19-20 are then released and the open end of the tube lowered gradually to permit the fruit to roll gently out of the fabric tube into the receptacle, and thus prevent bruising or injury to the fruit. The most delicate fruit can thus be handled without injury, as will be obvious. The tubular member is then gradually lifted until free from the fruit and the rings 192O again connected to the hook 21 and the operation repeated.-

The members 10-14t may be of any required size or length to adapt them to fruit of different kinds, and may be of any suitable material. The improved device is simple in construction, can be inexpensively manufactured, and in any required size.

That is claimed is l. A fruit pickers receptacle comprising a rigid tubular member open at the ends and provided with suspension means, a tubular member of fabric material open at the ends and inserted Within the rigid member and folded at the upper end over the upper end of the rigid member to form a yieldable guard therefor and extending below the rigid member at its opposite end, a plurality of rings connected to said fabric member near the lower end thereof, a cord extending through said rings at one side of the fabric member, another cord extending through the said rings at the opposite side of the fabric member, a pull ring connected to said cords at one end, and a pull ring connected to said cords at their other ends, said pull rings adapted to be engaged over said suspension means.

2. A fruit pickers receptacle comprising a rigid tubular member open at the ends and provided with suspension means, a tubular member of fabric material open at the ends and inserted Within the rigid member and connected at its upper end to the upper end of the rigid member, a plurality of rings connected to said fabric member near the lower end thereof, a cord extending through said rings at one side of the fabric member, another cord extending through said rings at the other side of the fabric member, a pull ring connected to said cords at one end, and a pull ring connected to said cords at their other ends, said pull rings adapted to be en gaged over said suspension means.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. BARNETT. Witnesses CHAS. D. L ons, AL. E. VOOLVERTON. 

